


lulukso, baka sakaling abutin [eng]

by kamwashere



Series: laro'verse [2]
Category: Gameboys (Web Series 2020)
Genre: 2gether AU, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Banter, English Dialogue, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Flirting, Fluff, Hello Stranger cameos, Jealousy, M/M, Misunderstandings, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Social Media
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:20:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25823533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kamwashere/pseuds/kamwashere
Summary: ‘Will you be my boyfriend?’ Gav blurts out.A beat of silence passes over them, and he could only gape at him, eyes wide.‘Ha?’‘Will you be my—‘‘Yeah, I heard you,’ Cai grumbles, ‘I’m not deaf.’-Or, the 2gether AU no one asked for. In which Gav’s ex won’t leave him alone, Cai is emotionally stunted, and Pearl is the unwilling third party to all of this.-filipino dialogue version here!
Relationships: Cairo Lazaro/Gavreel Alarcon
Series: laro'verse [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1873699
Comments: 32
Kudos: 34





	1. Chapter 1

The semester has barely even started and Cairo already hates it. How could he not, when he knows exactly what would happen this time around? He’ll be sleeping in his uncomfortable chair during class again, eat lunch alone again, and will probably be stuck with the worst group again, because despite almost five months of his freshman year, he still hasn’t made any friends because of his crippling social skills.

The highlight of his day was honestly going straight home after the classes were over, none of that partying and drinking in clubs that most of his classmates seem to have plenty of time for. A jeepney stops in front of him and he scrambles to get inside, squeezing himself between two people. He puts on his earphones, and lets the upbeat sounds of Autotelic fill his ears. He takes the LRT after that, and after reaching his home, he slumps in his bed and promptly falls asleep, not even bothering to change his clothes. Thank God it’s weekend tomorrow.

Cai wakes up early, scrunching his nose at his own, stinky smell and heads straight to the shower. He has a scheduled stream today, and he figures he should get started on his art theory essay first before doing it. He has a bit of a double life, if he says so himself. At school, he’s this reserved, quiet kid meanwhile in the gaming world, he’s the brash, trash-talking _Caimazing_ . He’s not _that_ popular, or well-known but he’s got a decent band of loyal followers. When he finishes, he sets up his equipment and prepares for his weekly stream. 

Halfway through his stream, he turns to the camera, whooping with joy. He had just finished a particularly gruelling mission in Destiny, and he scans the live chat for his followers’ reactions. Most of them were ranging from awe to shared frustration, making him chuckle. He slumps on his chair, and addresses his followers, ‘Guys, it’s just me.’

He talks about the mission briefly, and changes the topic to his anticipated surprise. ‘Guys, let’s cut to the chase; I know you’re all very excited about my surprise,’ he grins, ‘So, I wanted to do something for the staff of the hospital my Dad is currently in…’ he launches into an explanation of what he wanted to do, and the means to do it. He announces that he will be hosting a fundraiser, giving all the proceeds to the hospital. After the announcement and a quick update about his dad, he decides to end the stream with a quick 1v1 with a random pick from his viewers, which turns out to be a big regret on his part.

Cai furrows his brows at the people in the chat, trying to decide which one to pick, looking for a comment that stands out to him. 

**_Gavreel Alarcon_ ** _: ME, CAIMAZING! PICK MEEE_

 **_Gavreel Alarcon_ ** _: Please Caimazing!_

 **_Gavreel Alarcon_ ** _: Me me me me me me!!!!_

The person assaults the chat more with similar statements, with a worrying number of emojis. He smiles, amused. It’s been awhile since he’s had one of those followers who are passionate enough to spam the livechat and he couldn’t deny that it makes him feel a little special. ‘Okay, okay,’ he squints at the screen, ‘Gavreel Alarcon, chill! What’s your UN?’

The person quickly gives out his username, _Angel2000_. Cai fights the urge to snort. ‘Alright, I’m gonna send you an invite, OK?’ He sends out the invite before finishing his sentence, and Angel2000 accepts instantly.

Curly hair and dimpled cheeks roams his vision, occupying a portion of his screen. Cai’s mouth suddenly feels dry, and all he could do was stare. He lived up to his name, huh? is what he thinks in a daze, but banishes the thought in the back of his mind.

‘Hi, Caimazing!’ Angel2000 beams, eyes sparkling. ‘Big fan here!’

Cai smiles tightly, ‘Thank you. So, game?’ 

He nods back enthusiastically, and Cai’s eyes catch the loose curl dangling on his forehead. He clears his throat and tries to focus on the game. _Tries_ being the keyword. It isn’t until down to the last minute does he realize that there’s a miniscule chance that he might be losing. Only when the words _GUARDIAN DOWN_ appears on his screen he has realized that he has actually, officially lost. To Angel2000 and his stupid dimples. He glares at the screen, and composes himself. He forces a smile, ‘Good game, Angel2000, even though you cheated—‘

‘Cheated—?’

‘Unfortunately, that’s all the time we have today,’ he cuts him off with a small laugh, launching on to his outro with his usual, cheery disposition. ‘Remember, stay at home and stay safe. Bye guys!’ He throws out a peace sign and ends the stream there.

He tries not to think about the encounter, to no avail.

* * *

Gavreel just looks at his screen with the dopiest smile on his face, heart thrumming in his chest. He eagerly clicks on his profile, taking in everything his eyes could see. Cai Lazaro. (He wonders if Cai is short for something.) Lives in Quezon City, Philippines. (A little far from Cavite, but that didn’t stop him before.) Born on June 26, 2000. (He’s a few months older, then.)  Single. (That’s probably the best news he’s ever heard in this year of 2020.) He unabashedly slams the _Add Friend_ button.

He clicks on his photos, not caring if he looks like a downright stalker right now. He peruses through the album of photos. Some are selfies, some are taken by someone. Cairo standing with a painting above him. Cairo next to a seven-foot-tall Christmas tree. Cairo holding a vinyl. Cairo smiling while sitting down. Cairo smiling while looking from a distance. Cairo _smiling_. 

Gav finds out about him entirely by accident. A friend of his shared his livestream and as luck would have it, he stumbled upon it, blown away by his bright eyes, stupefied by his smile. He has no interest in gaming, knows absolutely nothing about gaming and streaming but he tries to learn everything he can about the games he’s playing before his next stream and thanks the Lord above when it finally paid off today. At least, he knows who he is now. 

By the minute, he receives the notification that Cairo has accepted his friend request and he, honest-to-God stands up and pumps his fist, yelling triumphantly, ‘Yes!’

He wastes no time messaging him first, finding that this is not an opportunity to be shy anymore. He’s online right now so Gav sends him a message, starting with a simple hello, telling him it was a good game. Then, he sits with his eyes glued to his screen, heartbeat picking up when the ellipsis appears. When Cairo answers, he gives in and just calls him. He stretches, neck aching from craning it, waiting for the other boy to reply. When he looks back, the sight of _the_ Cairo Lazaro staring at him with a befuddled expression surprises him. He’s wearing a green shirt today, his headphone-free hair swept to the side. Gav waves at him, ‘Hi, Caimazing!’ He turns towards his laptop, ‘I thought you’d never answer.’

He scrambles to put a t-shirt on, glancing at the other boy, who’s still _staring_ at him, mouth agape. He calls him out for it.

‘Starstruck?’ Cairo stumbles a little bit in his words, ‘Maybe your screen is just laggy.’

Gav watches him for a little bit, and his movements are smooth, not lagging at all. ‘Hey, your eyes are moving though.’ _Was he checking me out?_ He flatters himself by wondering.

Cairo’s reply was to blame it on his bad internet, making him tut. ‘You’re just starstruck at me.’ he teases. 

‘You wish,’ He says, looking at him like he’s in disbelief that Gav even has the audacity to say that, which to be fair, he gets that a lot. ‘Why were you shirtless?’

He decides instantly that he likes the look on Cairo’s face when he gets teased so naturally, he asks him if he’s feeling attracted, even winking and biting his lip. Annoyed, Cairo demands why he should _even_ be attracted to him.

‘Is my body ugly?‘ He gives him a faux-hurt look, pouting for good measure. 

‘I didn’t say that!’

He grins, ‘So, you like it?’ He flexes his arm obnoxiously, enjoying the irritated reaction he gets from the other boy. Their conversation delves into their match, with Cairo acknowledging that he didn’t expect him to look like _that_. And because he’s Gavreel, he can’t help but to make a witty remark about his own looks, which seems to further annoy the other boy. 

‘Who’s good-looking? You?’

‘No, you.’ Gav gives him a flirty smile. ‘That’s why I have a crush on you.’ 

He’s not a stranger to this whole ordeal, and has had more crushes than haircuts in his lifetime. It should feel normal. Flirting has become his second nature, and he’s done this whole thing numerous times before but he can’t help but feel a little nervous this time. It may be due to the fact that this was the longest time he’s held a torch for someone, and he thinks that he’s genuinely going to be crushed if he gets rejected. His ego will not be able to handle it.

Cairo seems shocked that he admitted that. ‘What?’

‘Nothing,’ he drawls, ‘I said you’re cute but deaf.’

There’s an awkward silence. _Oh, crap. Masyado bang direct yun?_ He wonders, rubbing his chin. The other boy just disregards what he says, quickly adapting a proud tone as he demands a rematch. Now, Gav is actually a little nervous. Can he really beat him the second time around? He decides to play it coy instead, ‘How about a kiss first?’

Cairo widens his eyes adorably, ‘How about a punch in the face, instead?’

‘It’s just a kiss.’ He’s really enjoying the look of vehemence on the other boy’s face. He makes a show of looking at his back. ‘How about a peek down there?’

The look of utter disgust on Cairo’s face is priceless, and he’s surprised at himself for not bursting out laughing. Perhaps if he keeps flirting, he’ll lay off the rematch because honestly? He doesn’t even know how he managed to pull off that win. Maybe Cairo had let him win? Ha, in his dreams.

He calls him a pervert and an asshole before hanging up. Gav counts this as a positive first interaction. Really, with Cairo, there is no way to go but up. The next day, Gav innocently sends an _accidental_ thumbs up emoji to Cairo. Then a good morning message. Then of course, a good ol’ oral sex joke, because he’s Gavreel. The replies he gets are abysmal, but it’s better than nothing. 

Then, it’s Monday again. He wakes up at five even though his earliest class starts at half past eight, stretching his body and sneaking in a little workout. After that, he takes a shower and gets dressed. Managing his curls has taken a little longer than usual, and he hurries outside, checking his phone and is pleased that Cairo is online. He is about to send him a sweet, little message when he receives a less favorable one, from someone who is decidedly not Cairo.

**_Terrence Carreon_ **

_Hi, Gav. How are you?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hellllloooooooooooo there!
> 
> this idea just woke me up in cold sweat at 2am and i knew i just had to write it. idk exactly what the demographics of the gameboys fic readers since there are only 4(?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) works here in ao3. 
> 
> i hope you liked this and next chapter will be up soon uwu leave a comment/kudos!!!<3


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gav comes up with a plan. Cai joins a club.

Gav freezes, eyes unblinking as his brain relays the message again and again. It’s been a year since he has last seen him, and he would very like it to stay that way. He leaves the message on read before dashing inside the Starbucks, right next to his dormitory, conveniently.

‘You’re late.’ is Pearl’s welcoming statement to him as he sits across their usual seat. She doesn’t look up from her phone as she sips her iced coffee. 

‘Pearl,’ he says in a slightly whiny tone, ‘He messaged me.’

‘Who?’ She rolls her eyes, ‘You know, you have so many flings, I can’t keep up.’ 

‘It’s…’ He sighs, ‘Terrence.’

She finally looks away from her phone at that, her eyes flashing with anger. ‘Again? Hasn’t he moved on already?!’

‘Pearl, what do I do?’ 

Her eyes soften. Pearl has been her best friend since junior high school, and she’s there for everything; his first bar hopping, his first gay panic, and his first heartbreak. There’s nothing he could hide from her, for they tell each other everything. Whatever he was going through, Pearl is most probably the first one to know it. He’s glad that they worked terribly as a couple, because he would never have a best friend. ‘Just tell him outright to leave you alone, be straightforward!’

‘It’s like you don’t know him,’ He slumps on his seat, ‘You know what he’s like with his exes. He doesn’t give up easily.’

‘That’s true.’

‘Peaaaaarl.’ He pouts. Terrence has always been persistent, and it was one of many things he used to admire about him, but now he wonders how he could ever fall in love with someone who demanded too much, who pushed too far, who roped him in too tightly that he almost choked. 

‘I don’t know what you want me to say!’ She exclaims, but her voice is light and soft. ‘I haven’t had an ex as clingy as yours!’

Gav just sighs. 

‘Just forget about that idiot. I’m sure he’ll get bored eventually.’

‘You think so?’

‘Duh! You’re not that hot!’

He glares at her, ‘Wow, thank you!’

‘You’re welcome, babe!’ Pearl giggles, flipping her hair. He flicks her on the forehead. ‘Ouch! You’re so violent!’ 

Eventually, they realize that they’re going to be late for their first class and they both hurry finishing their breakfast before going. They’re both from different faculties so they separate at the fountain landmark near their respective buildings. He jogs to the elevator, groaning at the long line. He decides to just jog upstairs, the whole eight floors, figuring he needs the extra workout. When he reaches the classroom, he wipes his sweaty forehead and gives a little prayer of thanks that he isn’t late.

* * *

The  professor is wrapping up his lecture when he suddenly turns towards his students, inquiring, ‘By the way, guys… have you joined any clubs or orgs?’

There are murmurs of responses from his other classmates, and Cai briefly wonders if he should join one. After all, college is not just about learning but for also making lifelong friends. Maybe, he should get out of his comfort zone once in a while.

‘Is it required, sir?’

‘Not really,’ He cradles his laptop in his arms, ‘But sometimes it offers great opportunities for networking and it looks great in your résumès.’

Their professor raised some very good points and Cai wonders if there are clubs that are still accepting members. He’s pondering over this thought when his phone vibrates, notifying that he received a message from his brother, London. This morning, they received a message from their mother, updating them about the condition of their father in the hospital, who has been confined since February this year due to his heart problems. He was intubated yesterday and he’s exceedingly regretting his decision to attend his classes today. But kuya London said that he could handle it, that he shouldn’t worry too much, and that he could do more at school than at the hospital.

**_London Lazaro_ **

_ Papa is okay.  _

  
  


He quickly types out a response.

**_Me_ **

_ What did the doctor say? Is mama ok? _

**_London Lazaro_ **

_ He’s stable. He just needs constant care and attention. _

_ Mama is asleep. She’s exhausted so I’m watching over Papa.  _

**_Me_ **

_ Can Paris and I come visit? _

**_London Lazaro_ **

_ No need. _

**_Me_ **

_ Okay Kuya. Be safe. God bless. _

_ Seen 9:47am _

  
  


He sighs, frowning. He hates feeling helpless, but it’s not like he really can do anything, especially since kuya London is still mad at him. Cai rubs his face anxiously, nerves settling in when he feels a tap on his shoulder. When he looks up, his classmate Mico is smiling at him warmly. ‘Hello!’

‘Um, hello.’ 

‘You see, our club Performing Arts is looking for members since we’re too few.’

‘Ah, okay,’ He smiles awkwardly.

Mico hands him a pamphlet, ‘If you’re interested, please come!’ 

He’s always been interested in movies and music and he’s looking for a club to join, so why not? 

‘Um, Mico,’ he calls after him, and the other boy turns to him with a questioning look. ‘When…?’

‘Later! After dismissal!’ Mico grins before tapping him on the shoulder companionably, ‘Okay, see you!’

He skims through the pamphlet, murmuring, ‘See you…’

Looks like he’ll be performing in front of people this semester. How’s that for stepping out of the comfort zone?

* * *

During lunch break, he waits for Pearl outside her room, agreeing that they would have lunch at a nearby bar/restaurant. They take a seat near the window, and she brings out her Macbook to work on the video she’s editing for a PETA while he scrolls mindlessly on Twitter. He has a sudden epiphany of searching up Cairo on Twitter, and he berates himself for not thinking it any sooner. He types his name to the search bar and huffs out an excited chuckle before clicking. 

**_Cai Lazaro_ **

_ @caimazing _

_ Real name Cairo, but call me Cai. Gamer. _

_ Joined May 2011 _

His icon is different from the ones in his Vidgram and ScreenTime. In this picture, he’s standing on a swimming pool, shirtless (wow) and looking up at the camera. 

**_Cai Lazaro_ ** _ @caimazing 5h _

_ Pag nilahad ang damdamin, sana ‘di magbago ang pagtingin. #BenAndBen _

He stares at the tweet for a good minute, feeling a swoop in his stomach. This song… it played during that show  _ that  _ night.

‘Hey!’ Pearl snaps her fingers at him. 

‘Huh?’

‘I said, order drinks for us. My treat.’

‘Okay.’ Gav replies a little dazedly, looking at his phone again.

She quirks an eyebrow at him, ‘You okay?’

‘Yeah, yeah,’ He stands up, pocketing his phone. ‘Be right back.’

Gav reaches the counter, still in his mind space. He idly orders their usual drinks, and also gets some baby taquitos. He’s about to return to their table when he literally bumps into someone, whom he doesn’t even notice, being so out of it. ‘Shit, sorry—‘

‘Gavreel?’

_ Of fucking course.  _ ‘Terrence.’

‘Hey. I messaged you but I never received a reply.’ He sweeps his hair back confidently, voice as sweet as honey. Fortunately, Gav sees through him.

‘I was busy,’ He says, voice tight. ‘I gotta go, Pearl’s waiting.’

‘Pearl’s here, then?’ Terrence raises his brows. ‘Huh.’

He feels his blood boiling. ‘So what?’

‘Woah, chill. I’m just saying I’m not surprised. You two have always been inseparable.’

‘What’s it to you?’

Terrence tilts his head, ‘Nothing.’

‘Good.’ He starts walking away but he grabs his arm. ‘What now?’

‘Gav, Michelle and I broke up.’ 

He’s stunned, but his wits quickly catches up. ‘So, what do you want me to do? Celebrate?’

‘I miss you, love.’ Terrence reaches up to touch his face, but Gav quickly slaps it away. The other boy recoils in shock. He feels his blood pumping in his ears and he storms away.  _ Love _ . He hasn’t heard that word for almost a year, and even now it still rings painfully in his ears. Terrence is insufferable. He really isn’t afraid to go after what he wants, and he has this sickening suspicion that he would do anything and everything to get what he wants. He’s like a rabid dog chasing after red meat.

When he goes back to their table, Pearl is lazily scrolling through Twitter. He tells her before he could even sit, ‘Pearl, he was here.’

‘Huh?’ 

‘ _ Terrence _ !’ Her eyes snap at that, ‘He was here.’

‘What?! When?’

‘Just now,’ he leans forward, ‘He and Michelle broke up.'

‘Not surprised. What’d he say?’

‘He said he missed me, and he called me  _ love _ .’ Gav shudders.

‘Ew! The nerve!’ She looks around, ‘Is he still here? I wanna yell at him.’

‘He left. You’d just cause a scene.’ He laughs.

‘Ugh!’ Her voice is shrill. ‘He’s so irritating. If I see him again, I’m going to rip his head off.’

‘Asshole!’ They both laugh. Somehow, despite his awful encounter with Terrence, he's grateful his best friend is here. On cue, the server brings their orders over and he quickly takes a big gulp of his Heineken. 

‘So, what are we gonna do?’ She says, sipping her sangria.

‘I honestly don’t know.’

‘Maybe if you’re in a relationship, he’ll leave you alone.’ She says as a matter-of-factly, putting her focus back on her work.

Gav frowns, ‘Actually, you have a point.’

‘Hm?’ 

‘I need a fake boyfriend.’

Pearl’s nails stop clacking against the keyboard, hands suspended as she looks at him. ‘You’re joking, right?’

‘Think about it, if he sees that I’m dating someone, he’ll back off.’

She just stares at him.

‘What?! It’s a solid plan.’

‘And who’s going to be your fake boyfriend, if ever?’

‘Who else?’ Gav laughs giddily, ‘My crush of course!’

She raises a brow, ‘Wait, that guy Cairo? What is he's straight?'

‘Then, I’ll make him realize he’s not.’ 

‘Wow, you’re confident, aren’t you?’ She rolls her eyes, but her lips are forming a smile.

‘Of course,’ He shrugs, ‘Mark my words, I’ll be his gaywakening.’

‘Whatever!’ 

Gav and Pearl stay inside the university even after dismissal, lounging at the pavilion with their eyes glued on their laptops. They both prefer to be out in the open while working, surrounded by the greenery and fresh air of their campus instead of being cooped up inside their dorm rooms. They also give each other notes on what they’re working on; Pearl with editing her video, and him with his essay. Gav was thinking out loud when a commotion from the plaza distracts him. Numerous people were lining up for several stalls, with some people dancing while some waving flags and banners. He watches curiously, ‘What’s going on?’

Pearl just hums noncommittally.

‘Hey.’ He pokes her continuously

‘What!’

‘There’s something going on there.’ He points at the clutter of freshmen at the plaza. 

‘So?’

Gav scowls at her, then goes back to people-watching when he spots a familiar face. He leans closer, trying to get a better look. Then, he widens his eyes, slapping Pearl’s arm in panic. ‘Pearl. Pearl, Pearl, Pearl.’

‘’You’re so annoying! I’m switching places!’ She tries to sit up but he grabs his arm.

‘Wait, is that Cairo?’ 

‘What?’

‘There!’ He points aggressively at the yellow-beanie-wearing, grey-sweater-donning guy leaning on the table, writing something on the table. It’s difficult to tell from afar but his lips… he’d recognize those lips everywhere. 

‘How would I know? I don’t recognize him that well.’ She rolls her eyes. He groans, quickly unlocking his phone and going straight to his  _ Photos _ , scrolling through screenshots of Cairo’s pictures. He knows he just peaked her interest because she slams her laptop close, leaning closer to take a peek. ‘Right?’

‘Yeah, I think so.’ 

Gav looks back. His face falls when he realizes that the boy is nowhere to be seen. He stands up, looking more fervently. ‘Shit, where did he go?’

‘He left?’ She frowns, then seeing Gav’s disappointed face, she grabs his arm determinedly and begins walking, ‘Let’s go!’

His eager eyes dart everywhere, looking for a yellow beanie in the sea of heads as they’re nearing the plaza. Pearl smiles charmingly at the people in-charge of the stall Cairo was signing in, ‘Hi, what’s going on?’

‘Hello! We’re recruiting members for the Performing Arts club—‘

‘Club?’ He snaps his head at that.

‘Yes—‘ Gav ignores her and dives in for the registration form, his eyes sweeping across the paper, looking for Cairo’s name. There it is. He smiles triumphantly, before signing his own under his. The club recruiter is looking at him weirdly. ‘Um—‘

‘You should sign up too, Pearl!'

‘Excuse me, I don’t—‘

‘You’re an attention-seeker, right? This is the perfect club for you.’ 

‘You’re an ass!’ She smacks him on the head for that, but signs up anyway.

‘Welcome to Performing Arts, I guess?’ The recruiter still looks confused, but a smile is still present on her face. ‘Orientation is tomorrow, 7pm. NH Building, at the Grand Hall. See you there!’

Gav beams at Pearl, who rolls her eyes at him. ‘I’ll ask him tomorrow.’

‘It’s your funeral.’

‘Hey, can’t you just support me?’ He pinches her arm, ‘It’s like you’re not my best friend.’

She groans, ‘Fine. You have my back! I hope Terrence will leave you alone, and I hope you and your crush will get closer!’

Gav laughs until his stomach hurts, feeling weirdly excited. Finally, he’s one step closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pearl and gav's friendship is so cute i want one:((((((((( also did y'all spot that hello stranger cameo hehe


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cai meets some new friends. Gav strikes a deal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was not edited so sorry for any mistakes!!!uwu
> 
> liSTEN;; i’m really trying hard not to make this a hello stranger/gameboys au but sgfsghsjh it just fits so well UWU also for their courses, i just wrote what the actors are taking as well bc i’m too lazy to come up with something LOL
> 
> i really wanted to post this on friday but unfortunately that didn’t happen SORRY!!!! i hope this made up for it!!!
> 
> gameboys tomorrow how we feeling folx

Cai is pretty sure someone is following him.

It all started this morning. He got off the jeepney at 5:25am as usual, tapped his ID at the scanner, lined up in front of the elevator, and prepared himself to bask in the awkward silence with the elevator operator. When he enters, the elevator guy is surprisingly not there yet. Must have woken up late. Instead, he shares the space with a guy wearing a black cap and looking at his phone, his head bowed. A student, obviously. Cai barely spared him a glance, pressing 8 on the floor numbers **.** He noticed that 8 is the only button lit up, which means that the other guy hasn’t pressed anything yet.

‘Um, what’s your floor?’ He asked, a little hesitant.

The other boy tensed up, as if a little miffed to be addressed. ‘Ah, it’s OK. I’m going down.’ His voice sounded a little familiar, yet he can’t quite place it. 

He was confused, but he let it go. ‘OK…’

And there it is, the awkward silence. At least, he filled his quota today. He got off when the elevator dinged, going off about his business, quickly forgetting about the interaction. 

After his classes end, he goes straight to the NH building for the club orientation, feeling trepidation. He honestly has no idea why he decided to join a club, let alone a club where you have to showcase your talent (which he rarely has.) He feels weirdly embarrassed, but he convinces himself that it’s for the best and he’ll be grateful for the experience in the future. When he arrives at the hall, several people are already there. He spots Mico talking to someone, and he walks over there since he’s the only person he knows in here. The other boy recognizes him immediately as he goes to his direction.

‘Hey, guys! This is Cai, my classmate.’ He says cheerily. Cai waves at them, albeit shyly. They all say their  _ hello’s _ and introductions and he feels welcomed already. The boy, JunJun, upon discovering he also likes Star Wars, starts talking his ear off about the latest release, The Rise of Skywalker. When the girl, Kookai, discovers that he also ships Finn and Poe, she starts squealing. Then he casually mentions that the Knights of the Old Republic I is the best Star Wars game, then gets into a lively debate with the other boy, Seph. Overall, their interactions are positive and wholesome. Cai counts this a win.

The coordinator starts a body count, and there are at least a third of the people who are missing. She introduces herself and gives a brief statement on what the club is all about. She was about to let the aspiring members introduce themselves when two people come in, fashionably late. All eyes turn to them, which turn into whispers and giggling and honestly, Cai can’t blame them. The girl is tall and beautiful, her eyebrows perfectly arched and her long, black hair perched on her shoulder. Her companion is shadowed behind her back, only a couple inches shorter than her. She waves and smiles at the coordinator, ‘Sorry, we’re late!’ 

‘It’s fine but since you two are late, you should be the first ones to introduce yourselves.’ Their coordinator, Ms. Kat, gestures for them to go in front. ‘Say your name, your age, your course, and a random fact about you.’ 

The girl just beams. ‘Hi everyone! I’m Pearl Gatdula, I’m 19. I’m currently studying BS Business Ad. A random fact about me is that I’m obsessed with makeup.’

They all clap at her, with Kookai dreamily mumbling under her breath, ‘She’s so pretty…’ Cai looks at her, amused. 

The coordinator then gestures for the guy behind her. Cai scrunches his forehead, recognizing the black-cap-wearing-guy from the elevator. He takes off his cap and looks up, making his jaw drop. Elevator Guy seems to scan the crowd and when his eyes land on him, he smiles, dimples and all that. He messes with his curls, and the whispers grow louder again. The coordinator shushes them. He cannot believe his eyes.

‘Hi, my name is Gavreel Alarcon,’ Elevator Guy, who turns out to also be Guy Who Beat Him in Mobile Legends in His Own Live Stream, says with the same level of confidence from when he called Cai before. He glares at him while he continues, ‘I’m 18. I’m studying BS HRIM. If you want to eat something delicious, I’m the guy for that.’

The reactions are honestly ridiculous. Half of the people in the hall start screaming, while the other half just laughs at him. Ms. Kat widens her eyes at him, as if she can’t believe what she just heard. His friend Pearl (presumably) just rolls her eyes, as if used to his antics. Mico and the others just look at him and at each other, divided between laughing and scoffing. Cai decides to just scoff. 

‘Random fact? Um,’ he bites his lower lip, thinking, ‘I became a gamer because of my crush.’

There is a chorus of  _ aww’s  _ and  _ ooh’s _ , while Cai just looks at him, dumbfounded. Could that be about him? He shakes his head, surprised by his own conceit. He probably has multitudes of crushes, and he might not even be gay. He obviously just likes flirting, that’s why he said all those things before. There’s no way this guy he just met online really became a gamer just for him. 

‘OK, thank you. You may sit.’ Ms. Kat smiles. Then, she picks the first person in front to carry on with the introductions. Elevator Guy/ML Guy/Gavreel catches his eyes and winks charmingly…  _ er,  _ off-puttingly, sitting besides Pearl, only a few meters away from their seats. He gives him the biggest bitchface he could muster, and mouths, ‘Asshole.’ His reply is a faux-offended huff, which quickly turns into a silent laughter. 

When it’s his turn to introduce himself, Cai awkwardly stands up, awkwardly smiling at everyone. ‘Hello, I’m Cai Lazaro, 18, BA Philippine Arts. A random fact about me is that I’m a gamer.’

‘Just like that guy Gavreel’s crush.’ Someone quips, and he smiles uncomfortably. 

‘That’s because it really is him.’ Gavreel says simply, making the others wolf-whistle and holler playfully. Cai turns around and wholeheartedly glares at him, and he only gets a kissy face as a reply. He sits down, only to be nudged by Kookai and JunJun. ‘Hey, you two know each other?’ She whispers excitedly.

‘Huh? Of course not!’

‘Really?’ 

‘Yeah!’ He scratches his head, ‘He just likes annoying me.’

‘I thought you two don’t know each other?’ JunJun smiles knowingly.

‘We don’t!’ 

They all laugh at him, even Mico.  _ Traitors _ . Despite their teasing, and despite the unexpected surprise that is Gavreel Alarcon, he feels right at home here in the Performing Arts club. After the orientation, they decide to have a little snack. Him and the others are about to go when someone yells out his name and he knows who it is before he even turns around. Cai is frowning when Gavreel jogs towards his direction, ‘What?’

Gavreel pouts, ‘So grumpy.’

‘Why are you following me? Even in the elevator, you won’t leave me alone.’ 

He just chuckles sheepishly, scratching his head. ‘You noticed that?’

He just raises an eyebrow prissily, ‘You’re a shitty stalker.’

‘At least, your stalker is cute.’

‘Whatever!’ He turns his back at him and starts walking away, when he hears him say, ‘Wait wait wait!’ Gavreel blocks his way, holding his hands out to stop him, 

‘Go away!’

‘Wait! 10 seconds! 10 seconds is all I need!’

Cai sighs loudly, then starts counting, ‘You’ll get 5. 5…’

He opens his mouth then closes it.

‘...4, 3, 2…’

‘Will you be my boyfriend?’ Gavreel blurts out.

A beat of silence passes over them, and he could only gape at him, eyes wide.

‘Ha?’

‘Will you be my—‘

‘Yeah, I heard you,’ Cai grumbles, ‘I’m not deaf.’

‘Well?’ He looks at him hopefully. 

He just crosses his arms, ‘You’re full of shit.’

‘It’s not legit. You’ll be my fake boyfriend, or something,’ Gavreel smirks, ‘Unless, you want it to be a real deal.’

Cai gives him a look, and he sobers up as he tries to explain, ‘It’s like this, my ex won’t leave me alone. If he sees that I’m serious about someone, he’ll leave me alone.’

He snorted derisively at him, ‘Stop bringing me into your shit!’

He starts walking away, ignoring Gavreel as he yells, ‘Think about it!’ 

Mico and company are all looking at him curiously as he returns, but he just smiles and waves off any questions they have. Him and Mico volunteer to go to the barbecue stand outside the campus, while the three stay inside and buy their drinks. They’re waiting for their order to be cooked when Mico randomly asks him, ‘Why are you so mad at that guy?’

‘Hm? Who?’

‘The Gavreel guy.’

‘Ah.’ His face dims, and he looks at Mico apprehensively. Should he tell him? Mico seems nice enough. He bites his lip as he watches the vendor flip the sticks. ‘Nothing, I played with during one of my live streams—‘

‘Live stream?’

‘Yeah,’ he grins, ‘I’m kinda a streamer.’

‘Really? Wow!’ He gushes and starts asking questions about his hobby, his inquiry about Gav forgotten entirely. Cai doesn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed.

* * *

Gav isn’t going to be easily deterred by Cai’s snubs. 

In fact, he has a plan. (It’s pretty much that only one he’s got.) That is to follow Cai everywhere, be as annoying as possible, and when he finally had enough, preposition him a rematch. How he’s going to beat him the second time around—he’ll cross that bridge when he gets there. 

A couple of days pass and with Cai’s increasing irritation by his presence, he figures his plan is at least working. It’s currently lunchtime, and he’s about to sit down at a random table when he feels someone staring at him. His eyes search everywhere and they land on Cai’s familiar browns, staring daggers at him. He grins from ear to ear. He realizes that the people sitting with him are his clubmates as well.

‘Hi guys! You’re all in Performing Arts, right?’ Gav greets, then turns his attention to Cai. ‘Hi Cairo!’

‘You’re not allowed to call me Cairo, only my friends and family do.’ He snaps.

‘OK, Cairo!’ He looks at his friends while pointing at the table, ‘Can I join you?’

‘Sure!’ The girl (Kookai, if he’s not mistaken) scoots closer to her friend to give space.

‘You’re really getting on my nerves,  _ Gavreel _ .’

‘You can call me Gavreel. Gav would be fine, too,’ He’s sitting across Cai, aware that his friends are staring at them. ‘But I would much prefer if you call me baby.’

Someone snorts. 

‘Why would I call you baby?’ Cai’s tone is disgusted, but his cheeks are tinted with red. ‘What are you, an infant?’

‘You’ll call me baby someday, Cairo.’ 

‘You wish!’

‘Hey, Gav! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!’ Comes a familiar, shrill voice from behind them. He turns around and Pearl gasps dramatically, ‘Oh, hello clubmates!’ Soon after, they’re conversing easily with one another, especially with Pearl not running out of topics to talk about. At one point, Cai laughs at something Kookai says and his eyes sparkle and Gav swears his heart could burst out of his chest.

At the club meeting, he is partnered up with Cai with an activity. He ought to thank God or maybe someone even closer like Pearl, who’s shooting him knowing looks every minute. He mouths, ‘Thanks,’ and reminds himself to ask her how she had managed to do that.

Cai looks murderous, mouth pursing into a thin line as they stand together side-by-side. Deciding to fan the flame a little, he nudges him, ‘Hey, we’re partners. I hope we can be partners in real life, too.’

‘How the hell did you even do this?’

He places a hand on his chest, pretending to be offended, ‘Maybe Ms. Kat can sense our chemistry.’

‘Shut up.’

Ms. Kat starts talking about the activity, which is to build rapport with other club members. She also informs everyone that their partner today would be their partner in the future activities and performances so he really hit a jackpot in this one. (Thanks, Pearl.) 

‘So, have you thought it over?’

‘Thought what over?’ 

‘If you want to be my fake boyfriend!’

‘Shh!’ Cai’s eyes widen in panic, ‘Why don’t you speak louder? They haven’t heard you over there.’

Gav pouts.

He just sighs, ‘Why does it have to be me?’

‘Why not?’

‘What’s in it for me?’

‘OK,’ He clears his throat, ‘Let’s settle it with a rematch. I’m sure you want to prove to your viewers that I really  _ cheated _ . If I win, you’ll be my fake boyfriend.’

Cai raises an eyebrow, ‘What if I win?’

‘Then I won’t bother you anymore. I’ll leave you alone.’ He smiles sweetly, ‘Just don’t miss me too much.’

‘Not a problem.’ 

‘Well?’ Gav asks expectantly, ‘Pass or play?’

He looks at him a little suspiciously before smirking, ‘Play.’

  
  



	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A rematch finally takes place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dedicated to [em!](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thepurplemu24/pseuds/thepurplemu24) love you!

Cai is not ignoring Gav. Nope, not at all.

He’s just been very busy with school projects and assignments, that’s all. This is college, after all. No time for dilly-dallying or socializing. He’s on his way to the library to check out some books when he feels a tap on his shoulder. ‘Hey!’

He turns around, and is faced by a smirking Gav. His eyes dart to the yellow winter bonnet he’s currently wearing. He pats his head, ‘Cute hat. Can I have it?’

Cai jerks his head away from his touch, frowning, ‘What do you want?’

‘You’re not replying to my calls,’ Gav pouts, ‘Are you backing out?’

He stares at him a little bit, then starts walking away, mumbling, ‘Whatever.’

‘You’re so unfair! You already said  _ play _ , didn’t you?’ He says, skipping so he could catch up with him. They pass by the garden in front of the school’s chapel, sunlight pouring from the canopy of trees.

‘Stop trolling me!’

‘I’m not trolling you, I promise!’ He sighs, ‘I just really need your help.’

‘And why me?!’

‘Cause you’re cute.’ Gav grins cheekily. Cai very much does  _ not _ blush, not at all.

‘Hang on,’ He grabs his arm, ‘You walk too fast.’

The taller boy crosses his arms, ‘Why do you even need a boyfriend?’ He tries hard not to sound curious, but fails.

Gav musses with his curls before answering, ‘My ex, Terrence… he won’t leave me alone. He’s a little possessive. I thought if he sees that I like someone else, he’ll finally back off.’

He looks at him apprehensively, tugging on his hat. ‘Why did you pick me, then? We don’t even know each other.’ 

Gav responds with a strange expression on his face but it fades after a millisecond, replaced with a beaming smile. ‘Nothing, I just think you’re really cute.’

Cai scoffs, then walks away again, but not before throwing him one last look, ‘10am. Saturday.’

Gav furrows his brows, ‘What?’

‘If you’re late, I’m calling it off.’

He’s dumbfounded for a while, then snaps out of it, ‘OK, Caimazing!’ He shoves his hands on his pockets excitedly, feeling the pitter-patter of his heart, which seems to become a common occurrence whenever Cai is around; never dwindling, and only increasing in speed.

Saturday comes. He’s been up since six in the morning, taking the extra time to practice for the game. They’re playing  _ Mobile Legends _ again today, just like they did before. He’s a little on edge, worried that he’ll lose what is probably the most important game of his life. He tries to anticipate what Cairo’s next move would be during the fights, based on days worth of watching his streams. Cairo sends him a message an hour, curtly reminding them of their game. Gav sends him a heart emoji in return, which simply gets seen. With only a few minutes to spare until the game, he types a Facebook status just because he can.

**Today, I will play the game of love. Wish me luck!**

(He gets an angry react from Cairo. It’s totally worth it.)

When the stream starts, his breath catches in his throat when he sees Cai. His silky hair is parted in the middle, held back by a colorful bandana. He’s wearing a green shirt, with the first few buttons unbuttoned. His lips, plump and full, are upturned with a frown. Gav shakes his head. Now is not the time to be distracted. They make a show of trash talking to each other as an intro, and he quietly enjoys the way Cai’s mouth is threatening to break into a grin. There is hope, after all. The time comes for their rematch to commence, and he quickly maps out a strategy in his brain, determinedly trying not to watch Cai at the corner of his screen. As the game escalates, he slowly realizes that he might actually have a chance to win this. With confidence he’s not sure where it originated from, he advances on his opponent, swiftly dodging his attacks. He mocks Cai, because he knows he’s winning and he knows that he knows. As the game climaxes, Gav hears the beautiful sound of time running out, counting down to zero as the voice announces that he’s victorious. 

Gav lets out a whoop, smirking at Cai at the camera. ‘Is that it? Huh?’ He shrugs, ‘What now?’

‘You’re so full of yourself.’ Cai is full-on pouting, and it’s the cutest sight he’s ever seen. He desperately wishes he could see it in real life.

‘Am I?’ He says playfully, ‘Well? You’re my boyfriend now—’

‘—Hey!’ He aggressively shushes him, and his face is one of unbridled panic. He laughs nervously at the camera, and says his outro before leaning forward to shut it off. Gav looks at the words  _ Cai’s livestream has ended  _ in front of the screen, before realizing what he’s said. Oops. He calls him immediately, and is almost offended at the delay, as if Cai is hesitating to answer his call. Although, it is understandable.

His face pops up on his laptop screen again, and Gav looks at him expectantly. He asks him if he’s embarrassed to let everyone know he’s taken. Cai’s very indignant, ‘Who’s taken?’ makes him chuckle. His reactions to everything will never fail to make Gav smile. He’s just so solid, and real, and true. There is not a bone in his body that is not genuine. 

‘You, of course! You lost, remember!’

He glares at him, his nose turning up, ‘I’m gonna strangle you!’

‘Yes! Choke me, daddy!’

‘Idiot!’ Cai’s answering laugh is music to his ears. He has a tiny dimple in the corner of his mouth, and when a sparkle in his eyes. Warmth floods Gav’s chest and files this moment as one of the greatest achievements of his life: making Cairo Lazaro laugh. He tells him he looks cute when he’s laughing, and he immediately frowns. Gav tells Cai he looks sad when he’s not smiling, and there’s a flash of emotion in his eyes that disappears in an instant, he’s unsure of whether he imagined it or not. He drops the call right after. 

He feels bad for upsetting Cai, and resolves to make it up to him. But at the same time, he feels giddy knowing he’ll spend more time with him. Everything is coming along nicely.

* * *

The next day, Cai spends the day at class in a daze. His mom just updated them of his dad’s condition in the hospital and he can’t help but worry. She reassured them that it’s nothing serious, just a ministroke. He still does, anyway. He’s always been a daddy’s boy, and he can’t bear the thought of even losing his dad. Just imagining it hurts in a way he can’t explain. Mico keeps shooting him concerned looks, and he tries his best to focus on the activity they’re partnered for. 

When the second period ends, Mico nudges him, ‘Cai, you OK? You’ve been quiet.’

He smiles tightly, ‘I’m fine. It’s just… Papa is in the hospital.’

‘Oh no, what happened?’ They make their way downstairs, planning to meet Seph and the others in the cafeteria. They pass by other students who are also hurrying to go somewhere, the hallways gradually becoming busier with the sounds of footsteps trudging on the floor and noise of students talking over each other. 

‘Ministroke. TIA. But he’s stable.’

‘That’s good,’ He pats his back comfortingly, ‘I’ll pray for him.’

‘Thanks, Mico.’

They reach the cafeteria after some more small talk, finding their friends already there, sitting and talking amongst themselves. Kookai spots them walking nearer, and waves her hand enthusiastically, beckoning them to come over. Just as Cai was about to sit, he hears a voice that he is upsettingly growing accustomed to. Gav Alarcon walks towards their table, holding two boxes of pizza. 

‘Hi, baby!’ He chirps happily, dropping the boxes on their table and nudging him with his hips, forcing him to scoot over to give him space. ‘How was your day?’

Cai feels his nostrils flare when he speaks, ‘Don’t call me baby!’

He pouts, ‘So grumpy.’

‘Because you’re annoying me again. Go away!’ He shoves him, but only lightly. He determinedly ignores Mico and the others, who are giving the two of them knowing looks and amused smiles. Gav just shakes his head, still smiling then turns at his friends, ‘There are so many of us! Good thing I bought two boxes.’

His friends all look at each other, while Gav opens the boxes. Cai feels his mouth water at the smell, taking a peek out of the corner of his eyes. Hawaiian, and Pepperoni Crrrunch. From Shakey’s nonetheless. He feels his resolve slowly crumble, and he knows his friends do as well when Gav takes a slice, and gives them an urging look, ‘Feel free, guys!’

JunJun was the first one to move. Kookai looks at him in disbelief, muttering, ‘You’re shameless.’

‘So are you. Just get one.’ He mutters back. She rolls her eyes, but gives in, reaching forward to take a slice, when her hand brushes against Seph, whose face reddens. Mico thanks Gav and takes a slice. Gav looks at Cai, who’s still not looking at him and rolls his eyes fondly. He takes a slice of pep and brings it closer to Cai, ‘Baby, eat please. I don’t want you to get hungry.’

Cai looks at him, and raises his eyebrow. 

His expression softens, ‘Sorry for yesterday.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I slipped and said that thing? Sorry, I got carried away.’ He chuckles, although he looks a little anxious. Cai feels an unexpected burst of affection for him, his resolve breaking like a strip of paper. He’s worried? About something trivial such as that? He wouldn’t have even remembered that if Gav hadn’t reminded him. 

‘It’s nothing, don’t worry about it,’ Cai looks at him in amusement, looking at him for a brief moment before snatching the pizza slice he’s holding, and taking a huge bite. Gav grins back and eats his own, still looking at Cai even if the former has looked away. 

The next couple days had been a drastic change for Cai. He spends nearly every break either with Gav or the Young Padawans (seeing as they’re all Star Wars nerds, it seems appropriate somehow) or both. They seem to get along well now, and he’s glad. Before, it used to be just him. He would usually go to usually quiet places, like under a nice shade, the library, or the comlab. But now, he hears his friends jamming to Ben&Ben and thinks maybe being alone all the time isn’t a good thing. Gav is such a nice surprise, as well. Their arrangement has only lasted for barely two days, and he’s determined to act like the best boyfriend ever, even if his ex-boyfriend isn’t around. Calling him  _ baby _ , giving him gifts, talking until late at night. Cai would never admit it out loud, but it’s nice. And if his heart starts skipping a beat whenever Gav would call his phone, then no one has to know. 

It’s Saturday, and him and the others are sprawled wasted on a table in a dimly lit bar he vaguely remembers the name of. He doesn’t know whose brilliant idea it is to go bar hopping after classes have ended, all he knows that his head is pleasantly buzzed, and he’s yawning more than he’s ever yawned in his life before. 

‘You guys down for more?’ Pearl, clad in a pink, button down midi dress, and holding a tray of shots in one hand and her handbag with another. Cai looks at her in disbelief. How she could still stand and walk after the amount of alcohol they ingested is beyond him. The only telltale signs that she’s drunk is the pink flush on her chest and face, but otherwise that’s it. ‘Scoot over, babe!’ She nudges Gav’s leg with her foot.

Cai’s head snaps at that, his eyes narrowed to slits. ‘Babe?’

‘Oh, Cai! Shots!’ Pearl, or  _ Babe _ , smiles innocently at him. Gav widens his eyes when he realizes what happens, and quickly turns to Cai, whose face has gone blank with emotion, save for the cold displeasure in his eyes. Oh. _ Oh no. _

‘Excuse me,’ He says in gritted teeth, not waiting for a reply as he dashes out of the building. He should have known. Of course, they have something going on. Pearl is beautiful, Gav is…

Gav is something.

He shakes his head, turning on the faucet to wash his hands. Why the hell does he feel so weird about it? He takes a deep breath, stumbles a little when he looks at the mirror. He looks like hell. Red-rimmed eyes matching his red cheeks. When he gets out of the bathroom, he notices Gav leaning against the wall beside the door. ‘Oh? He says, can’t help feeling cranky.

‘Are you OK, baby? Do you want to go home? Let’s book a Grab home, I’ll pay.’ His voice is full of concern, and he melts a little.

‘I’m OK,’ Cai says quietly, avoiding his eyes. He’s afraid of what he might find.

‘Are you mad?’

‘Why would I be mad?’

‘Because of what Pearl said—‘

‘—You know, I couldn’t care less whether you two are a couple or not,’ He cuts him off, heart thumping in alarm. ‘Besides, this is only a fake relationship, right?’

Gav recoils as if he’s been slapped, and he immediately regrets what he says. The shorter boy smiles, but it’s obviously forced. ‘Of course. Sorry.’

‘Gav.’

‘Let’s go. They might be looking for us.’ He says tightly, and turns his back away from him. Cai could only watch him walk away helplessly. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pearl intervenes. Cai finally steps up.

They aren’t on speaking terms. Which is fine. Cai’s handling it perfectly well. It’s not like he misses that idiot. It’s not like he got used to seeing his face on the screen and at school now. It’s not like his chest feels lighter whenever they talk. Besides, their arrangement doesn’t specify that they have to be with each other all the time, just that they have to act like a couple in front of his elusive ex-boyfriend. It also didn’t specify that they have to be friends with each other, no matter how much Cai would want to.  _ Wait _ . No, of course, he doesn’t. 

Why would he ever want to be friends with that asshole? He’s too forward and kind of clingy, in his opinion. It doesn’t matter that he’s kind, or generous, or honest, or smart, or caring, or compassionate, or great at listening, or has a nice smile, or…

Where’s he going with this again? 

OK, so he might have gone a little…  _ emotional  _ on their last talk. He did drink a lot that night. Not that that was an excuse.

Cai sighs. He really has to fix this, but where does he even start?

‘What a deep sigh!’ A voice coming from behind him snaps him out of his reverie, and he turns to look. ‘Hi, Cai!’ Pearl waves at him, walking towards him confidently.

‘Pearl?’

‘I’ve been waiting for forever!’ She flips her hair, rolling her eyes.

‘Huh?’

‘So, what happened?’ She pulls her to a bench near the parking lot, making him sit down next to her. 

‘Huh?’ He’s aware he sounds like a broken record but seriously, Pearl is the last one he’d rather be talking to right now. 

‘Don’t act so innocent!’ Pearl sniggers, and she slaps her on the arm. Wow, she and Gav really are similar.  _ No wonder they’re friends, he thinks with a little bitterness _ . 

Cai breathes through his nose deeply, ‘What do you want from me?’

‘Wow, so crabby,’ She turns her nose up, ‘I’m just worried about Gav.’

He looks at her with trepidation, the words coming out of him one succession, ‘Why? What happened? Is he OK?’

‘So concerned!’ She crows, poking his sides. 

He swats her hands away, looking at her wearily. ‘Come on, Pearl.’

She rolls her eyes dramatically, and shrugs, ‘It’s nothing. He’s just being emo these past few weeks. I wanted to know what’s up and I figured you’d know.’

Cai makes a noise of understanding. So, he’s OK but also.. not? Was Gav really that hurt with what he said? But why? It’s true; there is no  _ them,  _ as far as he knows. 

‘Hello? So, what’s up?’ Pearl snaps her fingers.

‘Nothing.’ He sounds unconvincing, even to himself. 

‘Ahhh, so there  _ is  _ an issue? Spill!’ 

‘I said it’s nothing.’ He looks away.

‘You’re no fun.’ She crosses her arms.

He bites his lower lip anxiously, and before he knows it, he blurts it out. He doesn’t know why but there’s something about Pearl that just makes him want to get everything off his chest. Maybe, he’s just that desperate to have someone to talk to. 

‘I said something insensitive.’

‘Start from the top.’

And so he does. Cai doesn’t know what came over him, but he starts telling her about everything. Their first meeting, the arrangement, and the fight that wasn’t really a fight but was still really weird. Pearl doesn’t seem to be surprised by the fake boyfriend thing, which he supposes he should have expected. They seem to be really close, and obviously, there’s something going on between them. He is confused however, when she laughs when he starts telling her about the non-fight.

‘You know, you’re kind of a dumbass!’ She cackles.

‘Wow,  _ thank you _ .’

She laughs even harder, ‘I like you, Cai! Now, I know what Gav sees in you.’

‘What? What are you saying?’ He stumbles with his words a little, ‘We’re not really together, remember?’

‘Sure,’ Pearl rolls her eyes, clearly not believing him. Cai doesn’t know what to feel about that. ‘Anyways, you don’t need to feel threatened by me. Gav and I are just friends. I just call him  _ babe. _ ’

He looks at her skeptically, ‘Is that a thing?’

‘Duh! Actually, we’re exes,’ His eyebrows shot up at that, ‘but when I realized that he doesn;t swing that way, I ended it. But we remained friends and eventually, best friends.’

He ponders about this. So, they’re not really together. That’s… good. 

‘When did you become a couple?’ He asks, curiously.

Pearl seems to think about it before answering, ‘Junior highschool, I think? I forgot, but I’m sure it’s before we’re in seventh grade.’

‘Huh.’

She smirks at him, ‘So, don’t be jealous, OK?’

‘I’m not jealous!’

‘OK, if you say so!’ She giggles, throwing her hair back. Cai really looks at her and realizes that she’s beautiful in the way that she knows it but isn’t arrogant about it. He can see why Gav would be interested in her, even if it didn’t work out between the two of them. If he liked girls that way, he thinks he would have been lucky to be with someone like Pearl. He’s so caught with the relief of finding out that Gav and Pearl are friends, and only friends that he has forgotten that they had a non-fight for no reason at all. Now, he feels guiltier than ever. 

‘Pearl, what do I do?’ 

‘What do you think you should do?’

Just because Cai already knows the answer, doesn’t mean he enjoys the look of exasperation on Pearl’s face. He fights through the urge to whine as he replies, ‘Talk to him.’ 

‘What are you doing, then? Go!’ She taps him on the shoulder multiple times, nudging and poking for good measure. 

He looks around, flustered. ‘Wait, where is he?’

She smacks his lips, looking thoughtful, ‘In his dorm, I think,’ He looks at her expectantly, ‘Wait, I’ll go with you.’

They stand up, walking side by side. Cai lets her lead the way, coming up with what he’s going to say. How is he even gonna start that conversation? In retrospect, it had been such a stupid reason to be upset over. He has absolutely no reason to be, God forbid, jealous or possessive over Gav. He’s still deep in thought that he doesn’t notice that Pearl has stopped walking, so he crashes chest-to-back with a quiet oof. 

‘Is that Gav...’ His eyes travel to where her finger is pointing, which is to a guy dressed in ripped denim jeans, and striped polo shirt and sporting a mop of unruly, black curls. It’s unmistakably Gav.  _ ‘.. _ .and Terrence?!’

‘What?’ For some reason, it doesn’t even register in his brain that he’s with another person. Gav is currently talking to a guy who’s wearing a plain orange shirt tucked into black slacks. 

‘Yep, that’s definitely him. He cut his hair but I’d know his stupid mug anywhere.’

So, that’s him. He’s not a total eyesore after all like he’d been expecting. He turns to Pearl, but his eyes never leave the pair _ , _ ‘Pearl, wait here, OK?’

‘What? Boylet?!’

But Cai is already walking towards them with purpose, surprised that they haven’t noticed them already. When he gets near enough, he snakes an arm around Gav’s waist, resolutely ignoring the way he jumps slightly at his touch, or the way he turns to look at him with a stunned expression. He keeps his face neutral but pleasant, looking at so-called  _ Terrence  _ with only mild apprehension, ‘Baby? Who’s this?’

‘Baby?’ Terrence parrots back. Cai immediately frowns, not liking the way his voice sounded condescending or the way his eyebrows pinch together in displeasure. 

He looks at Gav then, and his frown fades. His look is one of pure relief, like he had just saved him from an impending car crash. ‘Uh… this is Terrence!’ Cai tries not to shiver when Gav secures his arm around his waist, which doesn’t go unnoticed to Terrence. The air around them is charged with tension as Gav introduces the two of them to each other by their names. 

‘Hi, Terrence, right?’ Cai politely holds his hand out, offering a handshake. ‘I’m Cairo, Gav’s  _ boyfriend _ .’ He emphasizes the word  _ boyfriend,  _ but saying it with the biggest smile on his face.

‘Terrence. Nice to meet you,’ He smiles and shakes his hand, but Cai knows he’s faking it. Terrence turns to Gav, ‘Gav, I gotta go. See you later?’

‘OK…’ Gav stutters, still looking between him and Cai. 

‘Bye. Bye, Cairo, nice meeting you.’

‘Same here,’ He replies derisively. Terrence walks away, and he tuts mockingly, muttering under his breath,  _ ‘Nice meeting you _ . Dumbass. _ ’ _

‘Baby?'

‘What?’ Cai faces Gav, still scowling.

‘Is this real? Am I dreaming?’ Gav says with a dreamy look on his face, making him laugh instantly and momentarily forgetting stupid Terrence.

‘Idiot! You’re such a weirdo.’ He slips his arm free, and he does the same. He ignores the thought of already missing the way they hold each other like that, filing it away so he could dissect it later. There are a lot of thoughts, feelings, and words he had been compartmentalizing ever since he has met Gav, and he’s not sure if his brain could handle it anymore.

‘Good thing you were there.’ Gav says, running a hand on his hair, breathing out a sigh. 

‘It’s nothing,’ Cai says, ‘So, that’s Terrence?’

‘Yup. The dreaded ex.’ He sounds utterly exhausted.

He just hums thoughtfully, and the shorter boy looks at him, intrigued.

‘Why, you jealous?’

‘You’re an idiot.’ Cai walks faster, but he’s smiling. He does that a lot too, nowadays. 

‘Baby.’

‘What!’

‘Thank you.’ When Gav’s looking at him like that, he really can’t ignore the way his stomach is flipping in excitement, nervousness, and something else entirely.

‘You’re welcome,’ He says gently, ‘Let’s go. Pearl is waiting.’

Cai lets Gav lead the way, smile dropping as soon as he does. It’s dawning on him just how dangerous this slope is. He only hopes that he doesn’t slip. 

* * *

Him, Gav, and Pearl all head to the club soon after but without dishing out what went down with Terrence to an overexcited, hyperactive Pearl, who had the most animated reactions when they tell her about it. She squeals, gasps, and shrieks every time they open their mouths, attracting attention from the other passerbys. They reach the hall with her gushing about Cai’s  _ smooth  _ performancing and Gav proudly agreeing, making him blush. He has half a mind to tell them that it was barely a performance. 

They sit next to the Young Padawans, who had arrived earlier than them. They fall into easy conversations, except for him and Gav who have their own little world at the corner. They talk about anything, making up for the days they haven’t been uttering a single word to each other. They only stop and settle down when the coordinator, Ms. Kat arrives. The room dies down into hushed conversations when she starts talking, ‘OK, guys! For your first performance, you will be paired into twos—‘

‘Baby, it’s a pair up. Let’s be partners!’ Gav says from beside him, pinching his arm gently.

‘Shh, listen first.’ Cai pats his hands. 

‘—it can be anything; singing, dancing, acting—

‘Let’s sing! I can play a guitar, baby.’ 

‘Wait a minute, I can’t hear the instructions.’

‘—great opportunity to showcase your talents—‘ Ms. Kat is talking, but Gav rambles on.

‘What do you want to sing?’

‘Shh!’

‘You’re always so mean to me,’ He whines, leaning his head on his shoulders and hugging his arm, ‘I just want us to be together, baby—‘

‘For fuck’s sake, Gav! Fine, let’s be together!’ Cai didn’t mean to yell the last part out loud, but he does out of annoyance. He regrets it immediately, especially after a rambunctious chorus of  _ yieees  _ from their club mates (with Pearl’s voice noticeably drowning out the rest) nearly deafens him. He glares at Gav, who’s looking at him innocently.

‘OK, since Cairo can’t wait, you may go to your partners and discuss what you’re going to perform.’ Ms. Kat says teasingly, making his face warm up and instigating another row of jeers and teasing noises from his club mates. He hangs his head low in embarrassment, jolting when Gav pokes him at the sides.

_ ‘ _ I heard that, baby.’ He grins wolfishly.

‘You annoy the hell out of me.’ He gives him a dirty look, but he just snorts out a laugh, the  _ asshole _ .

‘So, what, are we really partners?’ Gav rests his chin on his palm.

‘Duh.’

‘Yes!’

‘I can play the piano but only a little bit.’ Cai admits, looking worried. 

‘That’s OK, baby,’ He smiles warmly, petting his hair almost affectionately. He tries very hard not to read too much on it. Friends do that all the time, right? ‘What do you want to sing?’

‘Anything as long as it’s by Ben&Ben. They’re my favorite band.’ He says, starting to get excited by this performance, even though he will end possibly humiliating himself. 

‘I know.’

‘Huh? How did you know?’ Cai looks at him in astonishment. Had he told him about that?

‘Um…’ For the first time, Gav actually looks nervous. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LOVE WRITING PEARL SO MUCH
> 
> it's missing gameboys hours, my dudes
> 
> i made myself sad remembering there's no more gameboys ep to look forward to this sunday D: i have post-gameboys depression xo
> 
> EDIT: LITERALLY AS SOON AS I POSTED THIS CHAPTER THEY ANNOUNCED ALT EP 13 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAASFGHNKJJNSDJHSSADFDGHNFMMDKLD,DMFKJBDHSGDBVSNA,XWKLDMFNEDGOODBYE

**Author's Note:**

> title is from laro by autotelic. its english translation is, “i’ll take a leap, maybe i’ll reach you.”
> 
> come scream about caireel with me on [tumblr!](https://kamwashere.tumblr.com)


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